Flexible blinds



May 23, 1933. D. PASSONI FLEXIBLE BLINDS Filed June 3, 1931 2 D. Passoni lA/vlvTorf 7% v. w,

Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES r 'raNr OFFICE V DOHENICO PASSONI,

3mm nnmns Application filed June 8, 1981, 8er1a1 No. 1,872, and in Italy June 12, 1980.

For some time constructors, with a view to eliminating the disadvantages in the construc-tion, use and price of wooden blinds,

have sought tb replace'wood by sheet metal which can be worked more rapidly and more cheaply, and which is incomparably stronger. These attempts, however, although they have been successful, have been limited to hinged or sliding shutters,

easily be'manufactured with sheet metal and any kind of reinforcement or rib applied or moulded on them. In fact, there exist very good sheet metal shutters made for example of a single sheet of metal.

But as regards flexible blinds the problem i has not yet been solved, probably because in the case-of these shutters it is more diificult to fulfill all the requirements of practice.

1 packing insulating material in the hollow These comprise in the first place a perfect insulation against heat, imperviousness to water along the seating surfaces of the strips,

All the attempts which have been made to obtain a good metal flexible blind have failed because it has not been possible to meet all these requirements or because they have been incompletely or imperfectly met. The chief of these requirements is the heatinsulation which could be obtained bysimply space-within each slat, which is shaped as a closed profile with a view to forming an insulating chamber.

The conduction of heat from the front to the back of the slat is much more objectionable than any radiation efiect; but, although every efiort has been made in order to obtain chambers and packing which prevent all heat radiation, on the other, hand no attention has yet been given to this other side of the question, that is tosay the creation of'an obstacle preventing the conductionof heat.

The object of the presentinvention is to robably because thesei shutters form rigid rames which can very solves all the above mentioned problems'in a very simple,'very complete and economical manner.

According to the invention the heat insulation is obtained not only by adopting a closed profile so as to-form an air cushion preventing the transmission of heat by radi-' ation, but in addition and above all by the creation of an absolute discontinuity between the front wall and the back wall in order to man, ITALY, nssreuoa 'ro soom'm moum 533mm;

romnn, or man, ITALY 'provide a sheet metal flexible blind 'whichprevent, as completely aspossible, any transmission of heat by conduction.

On some cases of less importance (works, shops, cellars etc.) this detail may be left out for economy'by giving the slats a com plete profile open over the back part. But in general in all other cases, particularly if the blind has to serve for the windows of houses and for like purposes, it will always be present, that is to say that the slats will be closed and discontinuousas described above. i Y This back part may be coveredby an insulating varnish or with a sheet'of wood or insulatin material or it may evenbe formed directly fly a rectangular strip of wood, paper or other analogous insulatingand rigid material.

The other properties required are provided according'to the invention by partly inclinin the existin surface of the slats outwar s from top to ottom so as to provide a slope along which water cannot rise, and which at the same time, directs the line of sight of outside observers on to the ceiling of the room, and forms a joint cover which prevents access to the between the slats.

The insulating discontinuity also produces pivotal connections another effect, in that it deadens the metallic the back profile are not connected to each other in any way, and may be chosen as desired. I The. cost of construction is very low since the slat is reduced to its most simple form, and maybe constructed by a simple rolled section after previously cutting the holes for the'passage of the attachment members.

The accompanying drawing illustrates by way of example some embodiments of the invention. a

Figure 1 shows the profile of a two-piece closed slat.

Figures 1a and 1?) show modified forms of the joint between the front and back walls of the slat shown in Figure 1.

liligure 2 shows the profile of a ribbed back wa Figures 3a, 3b and 30 show the detail of the heat insulation of the back wall.

Figure 4 shows the profile om slat open at the back. I

Figure 5 shows a method of joining the slats in order to form the blind.

,Figure 6 shows a plan view of Figure 5.

The profile shown by way of example in Figure 1 does not difier greatly from the 1 ordinary profiles of wooden shutters; but it is expressly understood that this is not the only profile which may and can be adopted. It comprises at the top and at the bottom two horizontal seating edges 1 and 1, two in- "clined faces 2 and 2 for the passage of the light, and an inclined front part composed of an upper surface 3 and a lower surface 3. It finally comprises a back face 4 which completes the profile. In this example the back part 4 is separate from the front part, and is hooked to this part by means of its longitudinal edges. These hooks are formed by straight beadings 7 or spiral beadings'S such as those shown, or headings which correspond with each other in the two assembled parts may be adopted.

' This method of assembly provides a sliding assembly which permits access to the interior of the blade, either for fitting the joints between the slats and for dismounting the partsfo'r repair or cleaning, or for any similar purposes. Secondly, this method of assembly presents another very important advantage from the'thermal (point of view, because, whilebeing very rigi it establishes a break in continuity between the front and the back part of the slat which prevents the conduction of heatfrom one ofthese .parts' to' the other. Thesefacts, together with the feature that the slat forms a closed chamber, provides a heat insulation which if not perfect is at least considerable and quite sufiicient in practice. I a

This back wall may be flat or it may also, with a view to improving its stren th orfor obtaining 'a better artistic appearance, be

provided with ribs such as thatisliown in Figure 2, where the wall 4; is provided with a re-entrant rib 9.

The break in continuity which has been mentioned above has also another advantage;

The length of the slats may vary. 'Their width may also vary according to the use to f.

blind is completely deadened, and is very similar and even less than that produced by wood.

An absolutely perfect heat insulation may be obtained by inserting in the beading 7 or 8 (Figure 3a) a band 10 of rubber or any other insulating material. For the same purpose this sheet metal back wall may be re-, placed by a strip 11 of wood (Figures 32)) or a strip of wood 12 may be applied against the sheet metal back wall, which in this case will not be dispensed with. One or the other of these details will be employed-according to the degree of insulation it is desired to obtain. In the most simplecases of less importance, a layer of insulating varnish may even be suflicient, and this layer will beapplied on the back wall 4.

In the case when the thermalv insulation is not necessary and where on the other hand economy is a great consideration, the back wall will be dispensed with and only the front part of the slat will ,be preserved. This case is shown in Figure 4, in which the back wall is missing and the profile is open and is limited to the parts 1-1, 2 2, 3-3

already mentioned. The free edges of the plate will then be simply rounded at 13, 13' in order to strengthen them and; soften the edge.

The construction of the slats from sheet metal sections permits any type of joint to be employed between the strips for forming the blind. v Figure 5 shows a joint obtained by means of a double hook. This is a passing connection. According to this embodiment a small rod 14, which passes right through the slat, is provided at the top with a hook 15 which projects from the slat. and has a bent end 16,-bent over at right angles, which supports the slat itself. At the'lower end the rod comprises a hook 17 turned through 90 with respect to the upper hook 15. Each hook engages in the opposite hookcof the contigotal connection is obtained. Holes 18 are provided for :the passage of the hooks through a flat seating surface 19.

which the blind is to be put.

0 Theblind is guided laterally bychannel irons in the same manner as wooden blinds,

and its application to windows is also the same. The metallic construction permits decorative'impressions (trophies, lines, etc.) to be obtained by pressing on-the strips, which could notbe done with wooden strips. The blindis wound on a drum in the same manner as wooden blinds, and similar precautionsare also taken to ensure balance and safety.

The blind according to the invention is also very applicable for closing stalls and shops (fanlights, skylights) with this advantage over other fanlights employed, that if desired it permits the entry of light and a a flexible blind, comprising a front wallformed of a profiled sheet metal strip of C- shaped cross-section, a back wall formed of a profiled sheet metal strip of substantially plane cross-section, secured at its edges to the edges of the C-shaped plate so as to form a closed chamber and means for heatinsulating the front wall from the back wall.

2. As an article of manufacture, a slat for a flexible blind, comprising a front wall formed of a profiled sheet metal strip of C'- shaped cross-section, a back wall formed of a profiled. sheet metal strip of substantiallv plane cross-section, secured at its edges to the edges of the C-shaped front wall, and a pack ing of insulating material in the joint between: the front and the back wall.

3. As. an article of manufacture a slot for a flexible blind, comprising a front wall formed of a profiled sheet metal strip of 0- shaped cross-section, a back wall formed of a profiled sheet metal strip of substantially plane cross 'section, secured at its edges to the edges 6f the c-shaped front wall, the

4 back wall being coated with heat-insulating material, whereby itis heat-insulated from the front wall. Y

4., As an article of manufacture a slat for a flem'ble blind, comprising ma wallformed of a profiled sheet 'metal strip of C- shaped cross-section, a back wall formed of a profiled sheet metal strip of substantially plane cross-section, secured at its edges tothe edges of-the C-shaped front wall, the

' back wall made of rigid and heat insulatin materia name to this 6. A slat for a flexible blind as claimed in claim 5 wherein a joint between the from; and back walls is obtained by interengaging beaded edges on the front and back walls.

7. A slat for a flexible blind as claimed in claim 5, wherein a joint between the front and back walls is obtained by interengaging beaded edges on the front and back walls, the beaded ed es being in the form of interengaging hool s.

8. As an article of manufacture, a flexible blind comprising slats formed of profiled strips of C-shaped cross-section, having an a-pertured upper flat'seating, an apertured lower flat seating, and an inclined front wall extending below the lower fiat seating, and rods passing through the aperture in the upper and lower fiat seatings of each strip, the

ends of the rods passing through ad acent strips being pivotall connected together.

9. As an article 0 manufacture, a flexible blind comprising slats having a front wall.

formed of a profiled strip of C-shaped crosssection, having apertures in its upper and lower surfaces, a back wall formed of a profiled strip of substantially plane cross-section, secured at its edges to the edges of the front wall, and rods passing through the apertures in the upper and lower surfaces of each front wall, the ends of the rods assing throu h adjacent slats being pivotal y connecterfto ether.

- 10. A exible blind as claimed in lclaim 9,

further comprising means for heat insulating the back wall from the front wallof each slat.

11. A flexible blind as claimed in claim 9, further comprising heat insulating means between the front and back walls of each slat.

In testimony whereof I have signed my specification.

nomnmco PASSONI."

5. an article of manufacture aslat for a flexible blind comprising .a nt wall formed of aproiiled strip of C-shapzd crosssection, a back wall formed of a profiled strip of substantially. plane cross-section, secured at its edges to the edges of the front wall, and heat insulation between the front and back wallsat the joint, the front wall having a flat seating at its upper side, and a flat seating-fat its under side,'and an inclined surface at the front, extendingbelqw the lower flat seating and the back wall having a strengthening rib lengthwise. 

